Archived The Young, Inexperienced, The Fanatical

[KingOGovernight]

I've been at Target for 11 years, and in that time I have definitely seen a trend in how Target hires upper management. When I first started a lot of the ETL'S and the store manager we're seasoned veterans of the retail industry, and also had a lengthy career at Target.

Not saying that all of people were great managers, but at least they had a life experience. They knew that the handbook wasn't always right and you had to improvise, and had somewhat of an understanding when something didn't go right.

Now, every ETL and store director for the past 4 years, averages the age of 22- 25. For a lot of these people this is their first job! They have no understanding of retail, or how a store truly functions. They read the handbook and take that as gospel and any other propaganda that corporate feeds down to them, and when something doesn't fit a training scenario they can't compute the situation.

To me this seems like a strategic plan from corporate to have a young inexperienced young executive force, to strong-arm any nonsensical process. I'm looking at you modernization! Before anyone goes on about me being an old coot, I just turned 30.
I would say within the Target company right now, this is one of their top three problems.

 

[Yetive]

Not age, so much. Lack of experience and the decrease of institutional knowledge for sure. A seasoned ETL to impart that knowledge used to be how it was done.

You are a youngish codger, lol.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome!

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Once upon a time there was a chain of clothing stores that thought hiring managers right out of college was preferable to having experienced, professional managers, too, as part of a strategy to cut expenses and avoid having the chain sold by the parent company. Epic fail. The company was sold, driven into bankruptcy and was ultimately liquidated. Spot should know better.

 

[JAShands]

This comes down to nature versus nurture.

There is an ETL at my store almost half my age who is an amazing Leader and goes above and beyond their role and is a true advocate for this Team. I have another with the same degree, just a couple of years older, yet can’t lead a horse to water. This is their nature.

My SD has grandchildren. They are an amazing SD and has successfully trained over half of the SD in our district. Three ETLs from my store have gone on to SD under the guidance and empowerment of my SD. That amazing ETL I mentioned a moment ago could step into role as a SD but is choosing on learning more about the business first. The one that can’t find their walkie is chomping at the bit to be a SD but hasn’t learned enough yet and is wasting the precious time they have with our SD to learn. They are failing to be nurtured and it’s 100% their own fault.

I believe a lot of ineffective Leaders are like the latter. They didn’t come from a background that would encourage them to act fearlessly. They are working in a store that coddles them and lets them slide because other Leaders are carrying their burden. They aren’t natural Leaders and they haven’t needed to learn how to learn from a good Leader.

It’s frustrating for sure. But before the head meets the wall just remember: this too shall pass.

 

[Proficient]

My store rehired an ETL with Spot experience of over 10+ as our ETL GM so ASANTS.

 

[Planosss]

Definitely ASANTS, there are a number of seasoned ETLs,SDs and TLs in my district.